Weakened Ahly drop first points this season

JOHANNESBURG: Record nine-time African champions Al Ahly dropped points for the first time in the Egyptian Premier League season when drawing 0-0 with mid-table Wadi Degla.

The winners of 20 Confederation of African Football (CAF) titles lacked six first choices due to positive Covid-19 tests, including 2020 Champions League final match-winner Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdy.

Ahly lie second in the standings with 10 points from four matches, one point less than El Gouna, who have played one game more.

Here, AFP Sport rounds up African football news.

Egypt

Wadi Degla goalkeeper Mohamed Abdel-Monsef made several superb saves to foil Ahly, who are seeking a record-extending 43rd Egyptian league title. It is only the third time in all competitions since South African coach Pitso Mosimane succeeded Swiss Rene Weiler four months ago that Ahly failed to win.

Next up for Ahly is a CAF Champions League last 32 second leg against Sonidep of Niger this Tuesday with the Cairo outfit enjoying home advantage and a 1-0 aggregate lead.

DR Congo

Serbian Dragan Cvetkovic has resigned as coach of Democratic Republic of Congo giants and five-time African champions TP Mazembe because of family issues, the club announced.

The mother-in-law of the 59-year-old coach is unwell, requiring his wife to be with her in the Mediterranean island of Corsica.

Cvetkovic will be replaced by Pamphile Mihayo, the coach he succeeded after Mazembe were eliminated from the 2020 Champions League by Moroccan opponents Raja Casablanca in the quarter-finals.

Zimbabwe

A Covid-19 crisis affecting the Zimbabwe squad ahead of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Cameroon from January 16 has deepened with five of the support staff testing positive.

This raises to 14 the number of those suffering from coronavirus with nine players testing positive after returning to a training camp having spent Christmas with their families.

Zimbabwe are scheduled to play Cameroon in the opening fixture of a competition reserved for footballers playing in their country of birth.